


Ghost of a Stag

by Walkinthegarden



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Highgarden, Loras and Sansa are betrothed to wed, Loras has doubts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-15 17:37:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1313479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkinthegarden/pseuds/Walkinthegarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loras decided he couldn't marry Sansa Stark, not when he was not in love with her… but something changes his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghost of a Stag

Title: Ghost of a Stag

Rating: G

Pairings: Renly/Loras, Loras/Sansa

Summary: Loras decided he couldn’t marry Sansa Stark, not when he was not in love with her… but something changes his mind.

* * *

 

 He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t marry Sansa Stark, daughter of traitor Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn. Sansa was kind and beautiful and all the court of Highgarden adored her… but he could not marry someone he had no romantic feelings for. He loved her, that was never to be questioned – they had grown to fierce in their engagement – but he wasn’t _in_ love with her and that made all the difference.

Loras didn’t know how he was going to tell his sister, or their grandmother, but they would be easy compared to telling his sweet Sansa. He knew what the Lannisters had done to her and it pained him greatly to realize that he was willing to send her back to them, but it didn’t change his decision. He knew exactly how she’d react, holding back tears as she assured him she understood. She’d run from him even though her steps would be small. She’d cry and she’d scream in her chamber. She wouldn’t see him again until the day of her departure and she’d look at him from her horse, surrounded by a ring of Rosemen to escort her back to King’s Landing and the Lannisters. Then he would never see her again.

With a sigh of defeat, he decided to tell Sansa first, as she would be the hardest. He went to her chamber to find her but she was not there, only her handmaiden.

“Your betrothed is in the fields, riding, milord,” the brunette told him simply, gesturing to the balcony behind her that overlooked the riding fields.

Loras nodded to her as he walked over to take a look. Sure enough, Sansa was astride a horse, looking more happy and beautiful then he’d ever seen her. The wind was fierce, causing her hair to flow around her like long strands of silk spun fire, her head was thrown back in delightful laughter. The sound echoed in the large space, ringing in his ears so beautifully.

He let an affectionate smile spread across his face. She’d been sad to long, it was truly a joy to see her happy.

It took him a moment to recognize the horse she road from so high up. It was black and beautiful and stronger then most war horses. He nearly fainted when it dawned on him that the horse was Renly’s. To the public Margaery had insisted on bringing the beast along as a reminder of her first husband, but any that knew Loras’ secret knew she had brought the horse as a reminder for him.

Loras stood frozen on the balcony. Four name days had passed since Renly’s death and the horse had never once allowed any other then Loras to ride him, even sweet Margaery who had fed him carrots and sugar cubes in the camp. The fact that the horse was allowing the eldest Stark daughter to ride him amazed Loras, as if Renly himself was blessing the union that was planned for them.

Loras let out a chuckle, relief washing through him as he stared up at the sky. He thought perhaps he should have known Renly would have wanted him to marry the girl, the Stag King had always held a tender spot in his heart for the eldest Stark daughter.

Loras could remember the sweet words Renly had spoken of her as if it were yesterday.

_“What do you think of Sansa Stark?” Renly asked one day as he laid on his bed in the war camp._

_Loras looked over to him in confusion, continuing to dress. “Lord Stark’s daughter? I don’t know, what of her?”_

_“Isn’t she a pretty girl?”_

_Loras continued to stare at Renly as if he possessed the three heads of the Targaryen dragons. “Yes, she is quite beautiful.”_

_“I always wanted a sister, but mother died shortly after my birth and it was impossible. I used to cry for one, thinking perhaps she would understand me more then Stannis or Robert ever did. I was still quite young when I met Ned Stark for the third time. Robert had taken me with him to visit Winterfell and I remember little Sansa standing so tall for how young she was. Robb stood next to her, holding her hand tightly in his own like if he let her go she’d disappear. Jon did too, on her other side, closer to Eddard then Lady Catelyn. Robert insisted on taking the boys for a hunt and he had Cersei go with Joffrey to visit with Lady Catelyn in her solar. Sansa didn’t want to go and Catelyn didn’t make her…”_

_Loras observed the far away look in Renly’s eye. He had never seen his King so sad and happy at the same time._

_“I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride with me and she said she’d love to. It didn’t matter that she was so young, I loved having her close. The way she smiled and laughed made it seem like anything was possible. She touched my cheek and my hands and said she wished I’d stay with her forever. I spent the next fortnight reading to her and teaching her to read. I fooled myself into loving her, the baby sister I would never have. I nearly came apart when it was time for us to go. She clung to me and screamed, begging anyone and everyone for me to stay with her. It took everything within me not to hold her close and never let her go. I’ve sent her a present every name day since, as beautiful and magnificent as she. Even Myrcella could not replace her and she was born only a short while later. But I diluted myself into believing in falsehoods. I expected her to recognize me when she arrived in Kings Landing but she didn’t. I was nothing to her, to much time had passed. It was not her fault; she was too young at the time. We must save her from Joffrey. She must be so scared, I’m sure Joff made her watch as he demanded her father’s head. We must save her, we must.”_

With a smile of fondness at the memory, Loras smiled down at his betrothed before leaving her chambers. He was happy he’d thought to tell her first, because then no one would know he ever considered not marrying her.


End file.
